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Cops Corner: Pelican Press

Sept. 4
So what if they can’t read!
7:02 p.m. — 1000 block of Siesta Drive. Suspicious Person. Kids were jumping off a bridge where police officers observed no-swimming signs posted in the area.

Sept. 5
Some light lifting, too
Noon — 4000 block of Banan Place. Grand Theft. A woman reported a man she had met through a craigslist.com ad for movers had stolen money from her purse at Target as well as items from her residence. She had hired the suspect and a second man to help her move. During that move, she reported, she noticed several iPods and jewelry were missing. Among the jewelry reported stolen were diamond and emerald rings and a pearl necklace. The mover apparently had more on his mind than lifting furniture.

Sept. 7
No hurry here
1 p.m. — Siesta Public Beach. Grand Theft. A Sarasota County Parks and Recreation employee reported someone had taken an unsecured beach wheelchair from the Siesta Beach Pavilion area. The incident occurred between Aug. 22 and Sept. 6, the employee said. People who are disabled or who have difficulty walking out to the Gulf of Mexico typically use the beach wheelchairs. It is doubtful the suspect made a fast getaway.

Sept. 8
Cracks in security, not seawall
6:18 p.m. — 800 block of Paradise Way. Burglary and Grand Theft. The female victim reported she had answered her door about 4:30 p.m. to find a male about 6 feet tall, weighing about 300 pounds and speaking with an Italian accent. He introduced himself as a dock installer and said he was repairing the seawall next door when he noticed that the victim’s seawall also seemed to be in need of repair. The victim walked with the man to her backyard to look at her seawall and left her front door unlocked. After he pointed out cracks in her seawall, he used his cell phone to call someone. He then continued to try to convince her she should have the seawall repaired, despite her repeatedly telling him she was not interested. The man finally escorted her back to the front of her house and left in a small SUV. She noticed a second man in the vehicle but was unable to get a good look at him. Shortly after she returned to her house, she found items missing from a desk drawer. Then, she discovered bankers envelopes missing, along with money from her wallet, jewelry and half a bottle of Vicodin from her kitchen. It turns out the victim’s next-door neighbor wasn’t having any seawall repairs done, either.

PROGRAM INTERRUPTION3:06 p.m. — 1100 block of Moonmist Court.Grand Theft. A woman reported when she went to check on her daughter’s condo, she noticed the TV was missing. The daughter, who lives in California, last was in the condo the weekend before July 4, the woman said. At that time, the daughter purchased a TV to replace one that had been stolen in June. The rental company that handles the condo told the Sheriff’s Office no one had rented the unit since the owner had left in July, and the firm could account for all the keys. The condo showed no signs of forced entry. All the doors and windows were secured with deadbolts and boards. The deputy reported he did not believe someone could have gained entry without causing damage to the security measures taken after the June break-in.